O's offense comes up short versus Marlins (updated with Mateo heading to IL)

MIAMI – In his major league debut tonight, Orioles right-hander Chayce McDermott handled himself well, throwing three scoreless innings and one where he got in trouble. 

But with the Baltimore offense not doing much this series, basically since the fourth inning last night, that poor inning looked like it would be enough to beat him tonight.

However, after going scoreless through five innings tonight and over their previous 11 innings this series, the O’s finally got the big hit they needed in the top of the sixth.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Colton Cowser’s three-run double down the right-field line off reliever Huascar Brazoban tied the game 3-3. Just like that the Orioles had their first extra-base hit this series and three huge runs.

But that tie didn't hold.

The Marlins scored three runs in the last of the seventh to lead 6-3 and win by that margin as the Orioles lost for the eighth time in 11 games and for the 10th time in the past 15.

The Orioles are 60-41 for the year and 11-16 in their past 27 games. They are now 12-16 versus National League teams.

Cowser had been 1-for-11 this year batting with the bases loaded until he lined a 2-1 changeup into the right-field corner.

Through five frames, Baltimore batters had just one hit off Miami starter righty Edward Cabrera and they were 2-for-35 since the fourth inning Tuesday night.

But with one out, Cabrera gave up singles to Anthony Santander and Ryan O’Hearn and walked Heston Kjerstad. Brazoban came on and got Jordan Westburg out before Cowser’s big swing.

Cowser began tonight batting .130 this year versus off-speed pitches.

McDermott’s first inning in the big leagues went quite smoothly as he retired the top of the Marlins order on 11 pitches. He got help on a nice play up the middle by shortstop Gunnar Henderson to retire No. 2 hitter Bryan De La Cruz.

The 25-year-old McDermott had to work a lot harder to get a second zero, needing 25 pitches.

Cleanup hitter Josh Bell led off the home second and singled to right on a first-pitch fastball. McDermott then walked Jesús Sánchez on a 3-2 pitch. Second baseman Otto Lopez then smoked a grounder right at second sacker Westburg and the O’s turned a 4-6-3 double play on a ball drilled at 107.7 mph off the bat. McDermott then walked Xavier Edwards before he won an eight-pitch battle with left fielder Nick Gordon. He struck him out with a 95 mph fastball to strand runners on the corners.

But as McDermott was putting up early zeros, so was Cabrera, who entered with a record of 1-3 and 7.36 ERA over eight starts.

The Orioles ended last night’s game scoreless on one hit after the fourth inning and they had no runs and one hit through the first four tonight. So that was 10 straight scoreless innings to that point, going 2-for-32.

The O’s only early rally came in the second. Cowser led off with an infield single. With two outs, Henderson walked. But catcher Adley Rutschman fanned swinging to strand the runners. Over his previous 11 games, Rutschman was 6-for-42 with two RBIs.

McDermott allowed two deep fly outs but put up a scoreless third and the score was 0-0 through three and he was at 46 pitches.

But Miami would gain a 3-0 lead in the home fourth, an inning where McDermott would need 36 pitches to get three outs.

The inning started with his third strikeout of the night as he got hot-hitting Jake Burger. But first baseman Bell, batting next, homered off a 3-2 slider for the 1-0 lead. He hit No. 11 a distance of 414 feet to snap the scoreless tie.

Then three straight Marlins singles followed, the third by shortstop Edwards for a 2-0 lead. With runners on the corners, Gordon’s sac fly to left added another run for a 3-0 edge.

Lefty Cole Irvin took over for McDermott after the fourth inning. The rookie allowed the three runs on five hits with two walks, three strikeouts and one homer allowed. McDermott threw 82 pitches, 52 for strikes in the four frames.

He used 34 four-seam fastballs, 19 sliders, 16 changeups, eight curveballs and five sweepers. McDermott averaged 94.0 mph on his heater and got 10 whiffs on 42 Marlins swings, including three-of-six swings against his changeup.

After Cowser's big hit, the Marlins regained the lead on the O's bullpen in the seventh. Jacob Webb allowed a leadoff single and on came Cionel Pérez, who walked Gordon. After a sac bunt, leadoff hitter Jazz Chisholm Jr. pounded a ball into the turf. It took a high hop over the head of third sacker Ramón Urías for a two-run double. When Chisholm scored on De La Cruz's single to right, Miami had a three-run lead for the second time tonight.

The Orioles' terrible all-time record versus the Marlins fell to 13-30. They are now 3-16 all-time in games in Miami. Both records produce their worst win percentages against any big league club overall and on the road.

They need to win here on Thursday or they will be swept by the last-place Marlins, who are now 37-65.

Updating Mateo: After the game, manager Brandon Hyde told reporters infielder Jorge Mateo is heading for the injured list as tests revealed a transient partial left elbow dislocation. The timetable for how long he will be out is not yet fully known. It's not known yet if a surgery will be needed.

"He’s going to miss some time," said Hyde. "He’s going to get further tests. It’s really, really unfortunate. Feel terrible for him. You know, we’re going to miss him."

Connor Norby, who has a .908 OPS in 80 games with Triple-A Norfolk, will be activated by the club and get some chances to show what he can do at second base.

“Yeah, he’s going to get some regular playing time. He’ll be in there tomorrow and hopefully he can give us a little spark," said Hyde.

More on the loss: The Orioles have been held to six runs and 13 hits this series. The Marlins, who have the worst record in the NL, can sweep here at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday.

Coming out of the All-Star break, the Orioles scored 17 runs in two wins at Texas. Now they have scored just eight runs in three straight losses.

Since June 21, they are 11-16 with a -40 run differential.

Hyde on the offense: “That was really a frustrating game. Facing a guy that walks 20 percent of the hitters and has a seven ERA. You know, we got a bases-loaded double and that was pretty much it. Not our best at-bats.”

Hyde on the bullpen giving up the runs in the seventh: “Really frustrating inning. Got a left-on-left and a guy trying to bunt and we walk him, so that can’t happen. Just didn’t execute. Need to punchout (with runners on) second and third, he leaves the ball right in the middle of the plate. We have to do better than that.”

Hyde on possible lineup changes tomorrow: “I’m going to give a couple of guys a rest with a noon game. But nothing drastic.”

McDermott on his first major leauge game: “Little bit nervous, but at the same time kind of overjoyed. Little bit emotional. It was cool for me and not just me, but my family, too. My wife getting to experience it, she’s been here through it all with me. Then my parents and my brother were here, so they got to experience it. They were with me through the whole thing, too."

McDermott on getting the word he would join the Orioles: “It was crazy. Kind of done at the game Sunday in Norfolk. Got home. Got the call from (Tides pitching coach Justin) Ramsey that they wanted me up on the taxi squad just in case. It was a cool experience to find out last night I would get to start.”

McDermott on the results for him tonight: “Disappointed a little bit. Didn’t execute some pitches. Wanted to give the team a chance to win. I think that is the main reason everyone is here and I didn’t feel like I really did that so, there was a little bit of disappointment. But I felt like I handled myself pretty well at the same time and just a chance to learn.”